UK beware. Brazil & Argentina are cooperating more, arguing less....

I knew that Argentina was buying more and more gear from Brazil...from the VBTP-MR wheeled infantry fighting vehicle to the KC-390...but I didn't know that this was in the works.  Check this out from UPI...

Brazil and Argentina are to begin negotiations over the purchase of Swedish-designed Gripen fighters to be manufactured in Brazil.The decision was announced in Brazil by visiting Argentine Defense Minister Agustín Rossi.
Brazil's Ministry of Defense said the talks over the possible purchase of 24 Brazil-produced Gripens would include not only the conditions of purchase but also Argentina's participation in the production of the Saab-designed aircraft.
"Our willingness to cooperate with Argentina, our neighbor and ally, is total," said Brazilian Defense Minister Celso Amorim.
Brazil and Argentina already cooperate on a number of defense projects and during the Argentine minster's visit signed a new cooperative agreement to strengthen ties between their defense industries.
Brazil is expected to sign an agreement with Sweden later this year for the procurement of as many as three dozen Saab-made Gripen multi-role fighter aircraft, with provisions for technology transfer and local manufacturing.

Yeah.  In a landscape filled with high priced fighters...most approaching 100 million dollars each...the little monster from Saab is about to pick up another customer.

How long before the reality of the F-35 and its sky high maintenance costs finally force air forces around the world to look for alternatives?  By 2020 the choices will be stark.  Either you buy the F-35 (which I believe no one will be able to afford), Chinese or Russian airplanes.

Saab is going to win by default and Brazil is placing itself in the cat bird's seat of being a licensed producer of the Gripen.  

But what should worry the UK are the close ties forming between Argentina and Brazil.  I might be way off base but I can see a Brazilian form of the Monroe Doctrine appear in the near future....and the Falkland Islands being the test case.

Sometimes you have to mourn and move on...

via The Washington Times

In one of the U.S. military’s worst “friendly fire” tragedies, the JTAC, who the service did not identify, authorized the B-1B Lancer crew to drop bombs on a location he incorrectly reported was 300 meters from the closest friendly troops. In fact, the soldiers were much closer and suffered a near-direct hit.
The military’s investigation said the ground team selected the target “based solely” on the fact that the B-1B crew saw no friendly infrared signals at that spot. In a colossal misunderstanding, the air crew’s “sniper pod” had no technical ability to see the flashes, but the pilots and weapons officers believe it did.
U.S. Central Command released the investigative report last month. Headed by Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, the investigation concluded that a string of technical errors and misunderstandings, on the ground and in the bomber, led to the misplaced satellite-guided bombs.
Most striking: The B-1B’s “sniper pod” lacked the capability to detect flashing infrared signals worn by each American to designate them as “friendly” and to distinguish them from the enemy. The doomed soldiers even placed an infrared strobe directly on their equipment, at the center of their position, to make certain the B-1B would see them.
The strike came as an Army Green Beret “A” team and Afghan soldiers had completed a village-to-village clearing operation in Zabul province in preparation for the country’s presidential runoff elections.
Under darkness, the team was about to board Chinook helicopters to take them back to a forward operating base when soldiers came under attack.
A group of soldiers moved to higher ground to confront the Taliban, and the team called in a close-air support strike by the B-1B. The bomber had come on the scene to cover the chopper extraction.
The investigation also was critical of decisions made by the Green Berets.

The entire article is just...sad.

Have you ever heard of the training incident named Exercise Tiger?  Read the Wiki entry but the quick and dirty is that plain bad luck caused almost 1000 service members to be killed.

Maybe its our culture today but an Air Force Combat Controller has been separated from the service and the decisions made by men under fire (talking about the Green Berets...what I don't know is if they're talking about the survivors, the dead or both).

Maybe the military should shed some of its bureaucracy and adopt the WW2 (and common sense) attitude that in war...bad shit happens.

Will sensor fusion be enough?

via Defense Talk.

J-16, a new model of 3.5th-generation multi-functional dual-seat warplane evolved from J-11, uses Russian Su-30 fighter for reference. J-16 is equipped with AESA and can attack multiple targets at the same time and recognize the information about the targets.
The biggest feature of J-16 is its long-range and Beyond Visual Range (BVR) strike capability and its strong air-to-ground and air-to-sea strike capability.
In May 2014, the new batch of J-16 fighters was delivered to the Air Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLAAF) and it is well-reasoned for it to show up in Zhuhai.

A quick note before I start my spill.  The Chinese label their "generations" differently than the West.  Generation 3.5 is the equivalent of our Gen 4.5 fighters.

Having said that, has anyone noticed that outgoing ACC, General Hostage has switched from talking about stealth as being the reason for the F-35 and now he's emphasizing sensor fusion?

The reason for this I believe is that all those reports we've gotten about the Chinese, Russians, French, Brits, and others having developed the capability to target stealth aircraft is probably true.  Another theory is that they can no longer emphasize stealth because the opposition is now developing their own stealth airplanes.

Either way, you have to wonder.

Will sensor fusion be enough?

When I was a fan boy of the F-35 program I was constantly asked about the quantity vs. quality thing.  The example of WW2 with the allies flying great fighters but none the less were a step behind the best that the Luftwaffe had to offer (talking about their early jets).

Our stuff was good, but they had better and yet we beat them.  How?  Better pilots.  We had the WW2 version of sensor fusion.  We had taught our pilots to utilize the proper tactics, get the most out of their airplanes and use their number to advantage.

But in the future we're going to be faced with the same issue but on the other end.  We're going to have (supposedly) technological marvels but will be outnumbered and it can be assumed that the Chinese will produce some pilots of exceptional skill (remember they did during the Korean War...too many stories exist that state that Chinese pilots flying for the N. Koreans performed exceptionally well), will be flying jets that MIGHT not be as good but will be good enough and they'll have the NUMERICAL advantage.

So I ask again.  Will sensor fusion be enough?

KC-390 Military Transport Aircraft Rollout Vid...

One possible future outcome from the Ottawa Incident.

Canada got hit today.  Some will say that it wasn't a particularly effective attack but it has rattled law makers in Canada and the US.

Which leads me to the next issue.

After the fact, terrorist leaders will realize that they missed a prime opportunity to take out the Canadian legislative branch.

I'm betting that terrorist are going to go after political leadership in the future.  Politicians, military leaders, judges etc...Once you get past a couple of security/law enforcement personnel at the checkpoint/metal detector its clear sailing.  Consider it a Jihadist Matrix scene...only this will be real...and the victims might be Congressmen, Dept Heads, Generals/Admirals and Judges...

Do you like dogs?

Do you like dogs?  If you do then you should head here to read this article and check out the pics.

Funny.

People died today in Canada and it didn't move me in a particular way.  A story about dogs made me pause.  Either I'm fucked up or we live in fucked up times...I'd like to think the times are fucked up...and so are people.

More photos from the Ottawa Incident.

Gloves are off. The US Army steps firmly onto Marine Corps turf.

via DoD Buzz

As it rethinks its global posture for a possible shift to the Asia-Pacific region, the U.S. Army wants to buy a new fleet of small boats and upgrade existing watercraft, an official said.
The land force and largest branch of the U.S. military has more than 100 vessels in its inventory — including the Cold War-era Landing Craft Mechanized-8 “Mike” boat, as well as the larger Logistics Support Vessel, LSV, and Landing Craft Utility, or LCU-2000 — to support combat and humanitarian missions.
The Army is gearing up to solicit proposals to replace the so-called Mike boats as part of a new acquisition program to buy three dozen craft called the Maneuver Support Vessel (Light), or MSV(L), according to Scott Davis, who heads the service’s Combat Support and Combat Service Support office in Warren, Michigan.

There is no such thing as a crowded battlefield, at least when you're talking about friends or allies.

THERE IS SUCH a thing as services stepping onto each others designated roles and functions.

100 New Mike boats?

During a time when the Army is having trouble getting funding for its Ground Combat Vehicles?

This might be bluff and bluster but its clearly a shot across the USMC's bow.  The gloves are off and they've stepped firmly into Marine Corps turf.  Is this in response to the SPMAGTF-CR's that Amos stood up?

Is it part of the chess game with the budget?

Unknown.  What I do know is that this will raise eyebrows in Marine Corps circles.

...I will say that but it's purely and simply fucked up...via FoxTrot Alpha.

"This is very serious, I would go so far as... well, I won't use Scanian [southern dialect of Swedish]. But I will say that but it's purely and simply fucked up that something or someone has entered this way into Swedish territory."Sverker Göransson, General of the Swedish Army, Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces

Read the entire story here. 

Armed response pic to the terrorist attack in Canada...

Canadian Forces soldier shot at National War Memorial in Ottawa, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2014.
An RCMP intervention team run next to a Parliament building in Ottawa Wednesday Oct.22, 2014. A Canadian soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial in Ottawa has been shot by an unknown gunman and there are reports of gunfire inside the halls of Parliament.

And this is why Tannerite will soon be illegal...

I just don't understand some portions of the gun community.  The open carry clowns just don't seem to be able to understand that they're hurting more than they're helping...AND they're scaring the mushy middle of the public when it comes to supporting gun rights.

Then we have the Tannerite freaks.  They keep posting videos like you see above that show exactly how powerful this "novelty" device is.

Even worse?  They take pride in doing things with the stuff that just give potential terrorist ideas.  Blowing up an old barn?  Wow, the terrorist says...I could do that to an inhabited building!  Blowing up an old Ford Bronco?  Seems like the perfect compact IED!

Gun community!  GET YOUR HEAD OUTTA YOUR ASS!

Is Canada facing a complex terrorist attack? Updating this continuously....

News is on right now that Ottawa is under lock down.  A madman with a gun is on the loose and he's spilling blood.

What I wonder is if Canada is facing a complex terrorist attack.

Several days ago a Canadian soldier was rundown.  Reports state that he was attacked by a radicalized Muslim.  Now we have this.

One of the scenarios that I've talked about is a small group activating and setting up sniper hides in all parts of a city.  Have you noticed how much manpower modern police deploy to handle one shooter?  Four or Five active shooters at the same time would CRIPPLE a major city.

More to come I'm sure.

UPDATE:  This is looking more and more like a terrorist attack.  Just plain awesome.  Canada has lax immigration laws and this shit just bit them in the ass.  According to news reports we're next.  I guess this might be our Oct surprise.

UPDATE 1:  Supposedly they're now hearing explosions.  Nope, it appears that there is some type of running gun battle and not explosions.

UPDATE 2:  If you don't conceal carry you're a fool.  Too many dangers in today's world.  I heard a grown man being interviewed and he has barricaded/huddled in a corner in his office.  You do realize that this barricade and hiding thing was designed to protect school kids after the Columbine affair!  Besides the idiocy of a man expecting another man to protect him, you also have the sad fact that law enforcement always gets their after the fact.

UPDATE 3:  The attackers are supposedly wearing all black with "Arab" head dress.  Sounds like ISIS wannabe's to me.

AAV replacement challenge...nope, just a procurement train wreck.

Keeping the AAV in service till 2030 and beyond is like asking Gulf War 1 Marines to ride into battle in LVT's from WW2.

Check this out via Forbes...

The details of how this plan emerged are complicated and depressing, because General Amos gradually came to realize that he lacked the resources to implement his vision of what the top Marine Corps ground modernization priority should look like due to congressional spending caps on military spending. Not only would the new amphibious vehicle not be able to offer the enhanced survivability and maneuverability of a planing system — it would move more slowly through the water like the existing vehicle — but it would have wheels rather than tracks, because that’s what the service could afford (tracked vehicles have traditionally been preferred for all-terrain mobility).
In effect, the lesser of two amphibious vehicles the Marines had been planning to develop became the centerpiece of near-term modernization, and the idea of replacing the existing AAV was deferred for the umpteenth time.

But wait there's more...

The larger question here, though, is whether the Marine Corps can finally firm up its plan for modernizing amphibious vehicles and make some progress on fielding new systems. As the capabilities of prospective adversaries have advanced, many observers have begun to question whether amphibious warfare has a future. Failing to field modern systems capable of safely transporting warfighters from ship to shore exacerbates concerns about the dangers involved. Thus, if the Marine Corps wants to sustain political support for its most distinctive mission, it needs to start bending metal soon.

I don't even need to see the budget to know that the Marine Corps can't afford the F-35, CH-53K, buy more MV-22's, the JLTV, upgrade the M1A1 to US Army M1A2 Tusk standards and afford the ACV.

The USMC procurement train wreck is a reality.

Visit, Board, Search and Seizure...Video by Lance Cpl. Dani Zunun

KC-390 roll out.

Thanks for the link Alfredo.

pics via Poder Aereo ...more at their site.

Mack Defense Corporation.

Check them out here.

Serious problems within the S. Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA)

via Donga.com

Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) explains that the contract was signed since the manufacturer Lockheed Martin promised to resolve the engine defect until the delivery of F-35A and the U.S. government also guaranteed. However, it is still hard to understand why DAPA was in such a hurry to conclude the contract despite an obvious quality issue. As it requires spending enormous tax money, whopping 121 billion won (114.15 million dollars) per unit, DAPA should have pointed out issues for improvement and led the contract to our advantage. As FX project changed from tri-party competition system to a single-party negotiation, did it put the Korean government to an inferior position where it couldn’t say anything to the U.S.?
Let’s see the K2 (Black Panther) that DAPA calls a "high-end battle tank." Hard-kill anti-missile system that detects and hits attack from the enemy has been developed, but it cannot be deployed since it has a collision with the soft-kill anti-missile system, which is already equipped. During the recent parliamentary audit, lawmakers pointed out that the state-of-the-art submarines cannot operate under water for sufficient time due to fuel cell issues, and the spare ammunition will run out within a few days in case of war. It is quite worrisome to see the waste of budget and also the loophole of defense.
This year’s budget for defense is 35.70 trillion won (33.68 billion dollars), accounting for 14.4 percent of the entire government budget. If the government fails to secure efficient weapon system after spending enormous money, how will it explain to the public? Thorough investigation must be carried out into whether there might be any corruption by "Military-mafia," aiming rake-off from the weapon trades behind the scene.

The S. Koreans spend a whopping 14.4 percent of their entire budget on defense?  Amazing.  If the Europeans spent just half that percent then nut jobs world wide would tremble in fear of the free countries of the world.

I really need a definition of what they're calling hard and soft kill systems.  I'm assuming that its a Trophy type system for hard kill and maybe some type of spoofing/smoke grenades for the soft kill.  I'll have to dig into that one.

Onto the sub issue.  This is interesting.  That means that the S. Korean Navy probably isn't as formidable as I thought it was.

It appears that DAPA has serious problems and they might extend to the S. Korean military.

Out with a whimper.

Thanks for the photo link Ruben.

I expected to be ready to crack open the bottle that I had saved up to celebrate Amos relinquishing command.

I really can't.

Instead I feel a little sad.  I have been one his biggest critics.  I have hated almost every move that he made (except his reversal on the sleeves down thing).  I sensed but could never prove that he was more a political animal than a military leader.  Additionally I felt that he looked out for the wing at the expense of the Ground Combat Element.

So I'm not sad to see him gone, its more like I'm sad to see a career end on such a sour note.

I hated his policies/initiatives/procurement and think that he hurt the Corps but I still wish him well.

Either way the above photo is telling.  I don't see it as nostalgic but as an indication that he left with a whimper.

Sidenote:  Its ironic but as Ruben said...Marines will go into combat in vehicles that are as old as his vintage soft top beetle.

Ingalls ship building appears to have won the LPD II war.

via USNI News.

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus has signed an internal memo recommending the service base its next generation amphibious warship (LX(R)) on the existing San Antonio-class (LPD-17) warship design, first reported by the Inside the Navy newsletter on Monday.
Mabus’ approval of the memo, which he signed last week, validates more than a year of Marine Corps lobbying for a new amphibious ship based on the existing 25,000-ton San Antonio design.
“Through a focused and disciplined process that analyzed required capabilities and capacities, as well as cost parameters, it has been determined that a derivative of the Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD-17) hull form is the preferred alternative to meet LX(R) operational requirements,” read the document.
The lead ship of a San Antonio derived LX(R) would cost about $1.64 billion with follow-ons costing about $1.4 billion for a total of 11 ships, according to information from the service.
Navy officials would not comment to USNI News on the memo saying the service typically doesn’t comment or confirm details on internal memoranda.

Read more about the Ingalls proposal here.

Interesting.  This move by the Navy to go ahead with the LPD II could indicate the direction of several internal battles that are being waged within the Marine Corps.

What the hell am I talking about?

Simple.

*  Many want to see the Marine Corps head down the "support" SOCOM path.  That way of thinking de-emphasizes amphibious shipping and moves toward placing small detachments of Marines aboard smaller ships AND  MPS ships.  That way of thinking has taken a beating though.  The experience in the war on terror has shown that small units can be isolated and destroyed.  The reaction has been to "upsize" all units.  Gone are the days of 2 man sniper teams.  Now you'll see an entire sniper platoon head out.  Additionally while the SEALs, Green Berets will still operate with small squad size formations at times, they'll always have a company of Rangers waiting in the winds (or another infantry unit) ready to swoop in to pull their bacon out the fire...that along with copious amounts of indirect fire...and air support that would make a battalion commander get a woody.

*  You also have the "air assault" side of the house that believes that the key to future warfare is to stow the cannons, the AAVs, the tanks and depend on air alone.  This is mostly seen in the push to utilize the MV-22 in every possible scenario imaginable.  Its also seen in the dogged determination...beyond all reason...to force a budget strapped service to buy an expensive, maintenance hog named the F-35.  Again, real combat experience is highlighting the folly of such thinking.  During a supposedly peaceful insertion a CV-22 was almost shot out of the sky, several SEALs injured and the aircrew will probably get a medal for getting their ship back at all.  This concept was built around the 100 man Company Landing Team.  The reality of small units operating far from support is the same as the "support SOCOM" dilemma.  Already these feet dry SPMAGTF-CR's have been plus sized back up to infantry battalion strength.  The "air assault", "sea going 101st Airborne" is taking a beating in Marine land.

*  Last you have my camp.  The traditionalist.  This faction believes that the Marine Corps should be a general purpose force that is capable of dealing with all spectrum's of combat.  Additionally this camp believes that we've started to encroach on Army turf and they in reaction are encroaching in ours.  To put a bow on this, this faction believes that Marines are "from the sea" and amphibious shipping is how we get to work....or at least in the vicinity of work.

Depending on how this plays out we could see who wins.

You know what I want to see but budgets, the General's club and General Dunford will declare who wins.

It must be observed however that this is also a win for the carrier mafia.  Too often the USS America is described as a "carrier" and not what it is.  An amphibious ship designed to get Marines and their equipment to where they are needed.

S. Korea keeps delaying Wartime Operational Control. Did they buy the F-35 to calm Congressional critics?

via the Hanyoreh

The South Korean government’s decision this year to purchase the F-35 and other state-of-the-art US weaponry has gone some way in softening the US Congress’s objections to another postponement in the transfer of wartime operational control (OPCON), US congressional sources said.
A final agreement on the date and conditions for another postponement is expected to be made at the ROK-US Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) scheduled to take place in Washington on Oct. 23. Congress, which holds heavy sway over the administration’s foreign affairs and security policy decisions, was strongly opposed to another postponement when Seoul first proposed it in mid-2013. Now, congressional sources are saying it has softened its position and plans to respect the Barack Obama‘s administration decision on the matter.
An aide to John McCain, a Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee and congressional heavyweight, told the Hankyoreh’s Washington correspondent that Congress was “waiting for the results of the South Korean and US defense authorities‘ discussions.”
“Congress is open now to what the Obama administration decides,” the aide added.
While Congress’s approval isn’t essential for the OPCON transfer, it does approve the defense budget and related projects with its yearly passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, meaning that strong enough opposition from it could block another transfer postponement.
“A lot of the opposition in Congress to another postponement died down when the South Korean administration decided to purchase state-of-the-art US weaponry this year,” said another congressional source on condition of anonymity. In particular, the source singled out the decision to purchase the F-35 and Global Hawk.

So there you have it.

The S. Koreans aren't willing to step up and defend themselves and would rather sleep under the blanket of US protection.

Instead of our Congress Critters holding there feet to the fire, they instead are bought off by the purchase of an airplane that is hopelessly delayed, under performing and over priced.

Corruption is in every molecule of this program.

I once thought that we had to stick with the program because of our allies.  Not anymore.  They're bought and paid for and this thing needs to die a quick death.  Ordinarily for something this vile I'd want it to be slow and painful but this monster needs to be put down NOW!

Required additional reading.  Here and here.